The short answer
The amount you still owe depends on your engagement terms, the work completed and money already paid to others. ‘No sale, no fee’ or ‘no move, no legal fee’ does not automatically mean every moving cost is refunded.
Check which costs are protected and which have already been spent.Separate legal fees from money paid out
Searches, surveys, valuations and other outside services can cost money even if you never get the keys. A protection arrangement that applies to legal fees may leave those costs payable.
Ask for a closing statement that distinguishes the firm's fees, any introduction or administration charges, money paid to third parties and money still held for you. This gives you a clearer picture than asking whether the transaction is ‘free’ after it stops.
Read the conditions before relying on protection
Some arrangements waive certain fees; others offer a credit towards a later transaction. They are not the same. Check whether a time limit, reason for withdrawal or requirement to use the same provider applies.
Do not assume a competitor's promise applies to Millennium or your appointed firm. Only rely on the terms supplied with your own quote and engagement. Ask for any uncertainty to be resolved in writing before you commit.
Starting again with a new property?
Begin a fresh quote using the details of the move you are now planning.
Your details are sent when you submit the full quote form. Privacy policy
Tell your conveyancer promptly
If you learn the transaction will not proceed, tell your conveyancer and ask what work or orders can still be stopped. That may prevent further avoidable expense, but it cannot undo work already completed.
If you have exchanged contracts, get legal advice immediately. The potential consequences of failing to complete are different from the position before exchange and can go well beyond a conveyancing bill.
Check what can be used next time
Ask whether identity checks or parts of the file remain usable, whether unused funds will be returned, and whether a new matter needs a new quote. Search results are property-specific and may not be suitable for another buyer or lender without further checks.
Use the setback to confirm the position of the next buyer or seller, your funding and the new chain before incurring further costs. No provider can remove every risk of a transaction falling through.
Your next steps
- Ask for an itemised closing statement.
- Read waiver, refund and credit conditions separately.
- Stop unnecessary new work promptly.
- Seek urgent legal advice if contracts have exchanged.
A little more clarity
Will I get my search fees back?
Not automatically. If searches have already been ordered or delivered, the cost may remain payable. Check your own terms and whether any separate protection applies.
Further reading
General information for England and Wales, not advice on your individual transaction. Millennium Legal is a referral and case management service, not a firm of solicitors. Your appointed firm provides legal advice. Check current official guidance and your own terms.
Now put a number to your next step.
Start your conveyancing quote without leaving this guide.
Start my quote